Cross River Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu, has invited the Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, to visit the state to appraise the poor state of federal roads.
Esu extended the invitation on Thursday while addressing members of the South-south Solidarity Forum, Cross River chapter, who paid him a solidarity visit in Calabar. He noted that Calabar had been completely cut off from the rest of the state and other neighbouring states, due to bad roads.
“We are helmed in from all directions. The state of our roads is such that there is nothing to write home about and all these are federal roads. “It is very unfortunate. The situation of our roads is such that we deserve a special visit by the Minister of Works, to come and see things for himself and see how we are suffering.”
He commended the leadership of the forum for recognising the various developmental projects of the present administration in the state and solicited their support.
“We appreciate your concern and support as well as your criticisms of our policies and programmes; it makes us perform better.
“We operate an open administration; always feel free to come to us for information, so that you can criticise better with facts,” he said.
Earlier, the President of the forum, Dr Bassey Umoh, said the team was in Calabar to show solidarity with the administration and to pledge their support for its developmental projects. He said that the forum would mobilise the people to support the administration’s efforts at building some industries in the state.
“Projects such as monorail, garment factory, deep seaport and Super Highway, among others, are all projects meant to industrialise the state. “We have elected to identify and partner with you to actualise these noble ideas. We will sensitise our people to ensure that they key into the programmes,” he said.
The forum further urged President Muhammadu Buhari to improve the economy and alleviate the living conditions of the people. Members of the forum comprised over 15 NGOs in the South-South region.
